Dimensional flowers and a challenge revealed!

 Many thanks to Mary Ellen for preparing such a wonderful tutorial for us on making these fabulous ribbon flowers.  Mary Ellen not only prepared kits for each of us- one for each type of flower- but brought a wealth of information to share!  While it's true not all of us are meant to create hundreds of these flowers, we appreciate Mary Ellen giving of her time to share the technique with us.
Personally I am blaming stupid fingers for not being able to do this well.  I do have a history.  I once tried to help my mom with her silk flower business by making the bows for basket arrangements.  After she saw the first bow, she found me a different job. 

 I did ok with the rick rack rose ( say that three time fast).  Mine's the darker one, Kathi's is the lighter.  It was Kathi's idea to fold the petals outward.

 The wired ribbon rose was a different story.  Mary's green rose is lovely!  Mine looks like one that should have been picked a few days earlier.

 Kathi didn't think hers turned out right, either, but I still think hers was better than mine.

 This was my favorite on Mary Ellen's sample board, but I found the assembly more than challenging!

 We didn't get to the poppy or the daffodil, but since we all got the supplies, maybe some of these will turn up at a later date.









Last October, Mary Lee brought in a pile of her gorgeous ice dyed fabrics to share with the group. Each of us selected one piece.  The challenge was to make "something" with the fabric- about a fat quarter.  Sorry this was the best I could do to get the before image.  Aren't they lovely?  Choosing only one was the hardest part of the challenge!

 And here's what those of us at the February meeting made....
(hopefully more results will be added later- Saturday maybe?  - hint, hint)
 
Mary saw ladies in her fabric.  So she thread sketched them.  The trees are done in one long motion.  And don't miss the shadow ladies quilted above the trees.  Mary plans to add some crystals to the ladies.  She calls it "Guardians"

Elaine brought a "before" picture of her fabric to share.

 


Her quilt isn't quite finished, but isn't it magnificent?  It's her own church- the First Presbyterian on Main St.  The window is the actual design of one in the church.  he pink is enhanced with some "angelina"
 Elaine said she had been wanting to try thread sketching.

Susan made this little piece with her leftovers, intending to try some bargello, but it didn't work out. I know she'll find something clever to do with this piece now!

 The leftovers were from this very sweet little goldfish quilt!  I don't know if you can see the beading or not- they add just the right amount of shimmer to the water!










Mary Ellen also saw ladies in her fabric, only her ladies were can-can dancers!  The skirts are made using a similar technique to some of the flowers!
I love how the big yellow spot lights almost glow!  Mary Ellen calls this "Paris Lights"

 Kathi also planned to do a bargello style thing with hers, but forgot one small step in the process.  So she tried this three D technique she found in Quilting Arts magazine.  We all asked what will go in the center, but Kathi isn't sure yet.  The contrasting fabric is one Kathi had made with "dye-na-flo" fabric paint.

This is my before fabric.  The colors reminded me of a picture from the Badlands. I had also thought to do a bargello style quilt.  It wasn't very interesting, so turning the strips this way and that instead, I came up with this.  It is mounted on a "framing" quilt- a technique I had been wanting to try from a  book by Jean Wells.

We all want to thank Mary for this challenge.  Most of us stepped outside our comfort zone a bit while using these wonderful fabrics!